


Stargazer

by sugarkatx



Category: Original Work
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Bars and Pubs, Drinking, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Eating Disorders, Explicit Language, F/M, Food Issues, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Injury, Mental Health Issues, Original Character(s), POV First Person, POV Multiple, POV Third Person, Physical Abuse, Purging, Self-Harm, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 11:35:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24969076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarkatx/pseuds/sugarkatx
Summary: Daffodil is okay. She’s perfectly fine, nothing is wrong at all. Why can’t her friend see that? So what if she calls at 2 am, sobbing about a slice of toast she couldn’t resist shoveling down her pie hole? Who cares if she's got raging bruises decorating her thin arms? What does it matter if accepts the number--scrawled onto a tissue and dropped in her bra--of a sexy stranger she met at a bar and ends up trapping herself in a poisonous romance? Everyone goes through problems, mine aren’t even that bad, she tells herself. There is absolutely nothing to worry about. But she knows more than anyone that’s just not true.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character





	Stargazer

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative Summary:
> 
> Daffodil has recently graduated from university with an English degree, getting a job at a fashion magazine company. She may not look like "the type" to, but every day she finds herself fighting her disordered thoughts about what she dreads most-- herself, and food. She does have one friend, a good one at that, but Iris is reaching the end of her ropes as she is forced to watch her beloved friend spiral deeper and deeper into terrible relationships-- one with Daffy herself and one with a guy-- helpless when her pleas fall to deaf ears. But what's a girl like Daffodil to do when the dreamy asshole she meets at a bar ends up being a model for the very company she works for?

** A Random Taxicab, 10:12 p.m. **

Daffodil tilts her head back as her neck begins to ache. On a Saturday night, when others are out having fun, she’s been crumpled up in the car seat for-she checks her watch- half an hour with nothing to do but check her lip gloss and smooth her shiny black hair for the umpteenth time. She gazed out the window at the looming glass towers surrounding her and the pedestrians, bikers, and other cars below the highway. A pit began to form in her stomach, but it wasn’t just hunger.

_Why did I ever agree to this? What if we have nothing in common anymore, and I can’t make small talk for shit, and she decides she hates me?_

Daffodil hasn’t seen Iris since their last year of high school and they weren’t even that close. They sat next to each other in their grade 9 homeroom class and just sort of became friends. That being said, Iris was always supportive of Daffodil and the two did make some great memories together.

 _No… Calm down Daffodil, I’m sure she’ll be just as affectionate as she was all those years ago,_ she assures herself, feeling her heart quicken, nonetheless.

The taxi comes to an abrupt stop, causing Daffodil to lurch forward slightly, grabbing the handle above the door to stabilize herself.

“Woah!” She yelled, feeling a flash of fear.

“We’re at your destination,” the driver spoke in a monotone voice, his left foot already hovering above the gas pedal, “get out lady.”

Daffodil unbuckled her seat belt and arose from her seat, giving the area a quick scan to make sure she didn’t leave anything and hopped out of the taxi. _You don’t need to tell me twice, old man!_ With a huff, she stepped out onto the sidewalk, her heels clacking as they hit the pavement. She closed the door behind her, watching the taxi recombine with the sea of traffic before speeding away.

Her hips—the bones of which protruded slightly—swung naturally as she made her way through the stream of strangers, some not-so-subtly whistling or winking at her. Daffodil donned a pastel pink top with the words “Angel Baby” printed across it, tucked into a pleated miniskirt in white. She kept her jewelry as simple as her outfits, wearing only a golden charm bracelet with butterflies and a matching gold necklace. Fake gold, of course.

Feeling a boost of confidence, she straightened her spine and elongated her gait, smiling. _Well. You’ve gotten past the hard part, Daffodil._

She swallowed hard, taking out her phone to check Google maps again, following it for a few minutes before stopping. _Here we are. La P_ _â_ _tisserie._ She grabbed the door handle and swung it open, making sure there was no one behind her. 

The saccharine and ever-so familiar scent of pastries attacks her nostrils. All at once, she is flooded with the tell-tale smell of cream cheese, vanilla, chocolate, caramel, and the worst offender- butter.

Shuddering, she holds her breath as she walks in.

** La P** **âtisserie, 10:16 p.m. **

“OMG Daffy! Over here! Daffy!”

Daffodil snaps her head to the source of the high-pitched squeal. _That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long while._ A dark-skinned girl of a slightly taller stature is waving furiously from a booth on the far end of the eat-in bakery. Her curly hair, brown with streaks of firework colours, was twisted up into a bow. She wore blue overalls with a light-yellow tee underneath, looking as colourful as Daffodil remembers.

“Iris!” She hurries over, feeling her cheeks burn for her friend’s loud antics. Sitting beside her old friend, she starts looking through the menu.

“Sooooo, what’ve you been up to all these years?” Iris asks before taking a long sip of her milkshake.

“Ah, well, not much…” Daffodil answers, keeping her gaze down, “I got accepted to the English program at U of T and since graduating I’ve just been keeping busy,” her fingers flip through the pages, seemingly in a hurry, “…that’s all.”

Iris’ lips leave the straw for a moment. “Really?! That’s awesome Daffy!” She beams at her friend. “I always told you, you had it in ya!” Iris winked and playfully shoved Daffodil, giggling when her cheeks flushed pink.

“It’s… it’s really no big deal,” Daffodil frowned and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “I’ve been working up the courage to apply for Primrose Magazine, but that’s at a bit of a—” she pauses, “standstill right now.”

“Standstill, shmandstill, what matters is that you’re revved up and inching closer to your dream job,” her eyes fall on Daffodil’s restless fingers, “that’s what I think!”

Daffodil sets down the menu, feeling a bit of her friend’s pride seep in. _She’s right, I did graduate! And I am building a solid portfolio!_

Iris pretends not to notice, but she sees her friend’s refusal to settle on an item on the menu.

A light smile forms on Daffodil’s face. “Heh, I guess you’re right as always, Iris—"

“Daffodil,” she interrupts, brows furrowed.

Her friend looks up, eyes wide at the sudden shift in tone. “Y-yeah?” Her eyes dart downward, realising she’d left the menu closed on the table, before shooting across the diner, where a waitress was staring impatiently. _Shit! That poor woman must’ve been waiting for this stupid customer to just hurry and pick something already—_

“Daffodil!” Another shout from Iris stopped her thoughts in their tracks. “Aren’t you going to order?” She looked at her expectantly.

She scrambled to think of a reply. “Yeah, uhm, I was finding it hard to choose just one thing,” she tried her most convincing fake laugh, “ha-ha, so many goods here, you know?”

Daffodil cursed inwardly when faced with a blank stare. “Daffy,” Iris reached out a hand, putting it gently over hers, “is everything okay?”

Is everything okay? Are you alright? These are words that Daffodil has heard countless times. A smile and a nod, a quick utterance of “I’m fine” shut people up easily. _That won’t work on Iris_. But she had to try.

“Yes, of course,” she flashed a smile, making sure her eyes crinkled just slightly. “Why wouldn’t I, I mean it, be?” _Fuck, she knows I mess up my grammar when I’m nervous!_ She gnawed on the inside of her cheek, hoping her friend wouldn’t catch that mistake.

“Okay,” Iris nodded slowly, “well pick something and let’s get outta here. There’s a brand spankin’ new bar down by Spadina and I’d love for you,” she smiled as she bowed, “to be my guest!”

Daffodil felt her nerves settle down. _There’s nothing wrong with letting loose just this once. One small iced coffee isn’t going to hurt, in fact it’ll boost my metabolism for a bit! Hell, the alcohol I’ll no doubt end up getting drunk off might help me disguise my purging, anyway._ She wrinkled her nose in disgust at how easily her mind led her to that strangely soothing conclusion. 

Her nose relaxed. “Fine.” Daffodil waved over the scowling waitress, quickly apologizing before ordering. “I’ll have the petit café glacé please.”


End file.
